The present invention relates generally to a cord lock for selectively holding the electric cord of an electrical appliance such as an upright vacuum cleaner, floor polisher, extractor or the like and more particularly to a cord lock having a rotatable handle for alternately gathering a plurality of cold loops, a single cord loop or releasing all cord loops.
Electric vacuum cleaners are exemplary of such common floor cleaning appliances employed universally in home and business uses. Vacuum cleaners are normally operated by electric current obtained from a conventional electric socket provided in the wall, floor or the like of the home or office. The electricity is supplied to the vacuum cleaner via the use of a relatively long cord that plugs into the electrical socket.
Most upright vacuum cleaners are provided with hooks near the top and bottom of the vacuum cleaner, so that the cord may be looped around the hooks for storage. In this way, the cord may be stored in an easy and compact manner. When the vacuum cleaner is to to used, the cord may be unwrapped loop by loop starting with the plug end of the cord. Prior artisans have also provided at least one rotatable hook, which upon rotation allows for all of the cord loops to be removed at once.
In the operation of the vacuum cleaner, the vacuum is rolled along the floor space needing to be vacuumed. Often the user moves the vacuum cleaner in a to-and-fro motion until the entire floor has been vacuumed clean. The cord provided is relatively long so that the vacuum cleaner may reach a large amount of the floor space before it is necessary to plug the cord into a different socket. In using the vacuum cleaner, the cord generally lies on the floor and often gets in the way of the vacuum cleaner's path. The user is constantly having to move and adjust the cord so that the vacuum cleaner may move smoothly on the floor without running over the cord. This slows the vacuuming procedure and burdens the user since he must continually interrupt the operation to bend over and move the cord.
In an attempt to rectify this problem, many users have taken to holding the cord in one hand, so that they can avoid the interruption that would otherwise be involved in moving the cord. However, by so holding the cord, the user's hands are occupied with one hand on the vacuum cleaner and one holding the cord. With the user's hands thus occupied the user has a limited ability to carry out other functions during the vacuuming operation. For example, the user cannot easily swing doors, move light furniture or plants that would facilitate an easy, efficient vacuuming of the entire room. To attempt to do this while holding the cord may inadvertently move the cord in the vacuum cleaner's path, limit one's reach or limit hand dexterity to an extent that makes some items difficult to grasp and move. Moreover, if the user ever lets go of the cord to free his hand or to leave the vacuum cleaner momentarily, the cord drops to the floor requiring the user to again bend over and pick up the cord upon continuation of the vacuuming operation.